From April 29 to May 11, Associate Professor Gao Yunjiao from the Department of Sociology, School of Law, Humanities and Sociology of Wuhan University of Technology was invited to visit Fulda University of Applied Sciences in Germany for academic exchanges and teaching. This visit not only deepened the mutual understanding between the two universities in the field of social work but also built a solid foundation for future international cooperation.

During her visit, Professor Gao held talks with Ms.Julia-Sophie Rothmann, Director of the International Office, Professor Martina Ruhmland, Dean of the School of Social Work, and Professor Sabine Pfeffer, Associate Dean for International Affairs at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. She provided a comprehensive introduction to the development of School of Law, Humanities and Sociology of Wuhan University of Technology, and the Department of Sociology, actively seeking broader exchanges and cooperation with the host university. Director Rothmann highlighted the university’s summer and winter camp programs, which are open to partner institutions worldwide across Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, the Americas, and Latin America, welcoming students from all disciplines at Wuhan University of Technology to participate and expand their global perspectives.

To gain in-depth knowledge of Germany’s juvenile justice and child welfare systems, Professor Gao, accompanied by Professor Dominique Moisl and Professor Stephanie Ernst, visited the juvenile prison in Rockenberg and the Don Bosco Youth Assistance Center in Sanerz. The Rockenberg juvenile prison provides a comprehensive support system for incarcerated youth, including 15 social workers, 5 counselors, and multiple professional teachers, aiming to reduce recidivism through educational and rehabilitative services. The Don Bosco Youth Center operates closed and open living groups tailored to the specific needs of young people: the former receives minors sentenced for minor offenses by the court, while the latter mainly serves referrals from youth welfare offices, including school-dropout or unemployed youth and those from dysfunctional families. The center offers diverse services such as daily care, school support, and vocational training to facilitate their social integration.

Professor Gao also audited two international courses, Visits and Subject-Specific Aspects of Social Inequality and Social Work, to closely observe the classroom performance of three exchange students from her university. Additionally, she attended Professor Stephanie Ernst’s German course Family Law, learning from the teaching styles and interactive methods in German classrooms.

Furthermore, Professor Gao taught the course Social Work with Juvenile Delinquents to 26 German students. From developmental and ecological systems perspectives, the course systematically explored the causes of juvenile delinquency, covering the trajectory from early childhood behavioral issues to adult antisocial behavior, with in-depth analysis of related problems such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Antisocial Personality Disorder. It also examined multifaceted factors contributing to delinquent behavior, including genetic, family, peer, community, and cultural influences. The course introduced social development crime prevention models and evidence-based intervention methods for juvenile delinquency, aiming to cultivate students’ ability to analyze cases from multidimensional perspectives and design effective intervention plans. Combining knowledge transfer with cultural exchange, Professor Gao used vivid cases to introduce China to the students, receiving enthusiastic feedback in class.

This visit promoted in-depth dialogue between Chinese and German universities in social work education, demonstrating the international vision and professional competence of our department’s faculty, and injecting new vitality into the internationalization of our university’s Master of Social Work.

Written by: Gao Yunjiao

Edited by:He Zhaorui

Reviewed by: Bu Qingping